any place be of sufficient secrecie to conceale the vices of Kings Now if Kings secrets done in Court if their secret vices be made knowne much more shall it be knowne that is proclaimed in Court And therefore is the Proclamation here enioyned to be made in the Palaces of Palaestina and Aegypt in their Princes Courts that the same thereof flying abroad into all the coasts of those dominions the rest of the people might vnderstand thereof and beare witnesse to the iudgements of God which he executeth vpon his people for their sinnes that they are very iust By this iniunction for the Proclamation now expounded you see that Heathens the Philistines and Aegyptians aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and vtter enemies to that State are inuited to be spectators of the euils which God in iudgement was to bring vpon that his people the Israelitish Nation And this was to make the euils which the Israelites were to suffer the more grieuous vnto them Hence ariseth this obseruation The calamities or miseries which the Lord in iustice layeth vpon vs for our euill deeds will be the more grieuous vnto vs if our enemies be made priuie vnto them This is it the Lord saith to Ierusalem Ezech. 5.8 Behold I euen I will execute iudgement in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations thine enemies In the sight of thine enemies will I doe it It could not be but an exceeding great griefe to the Virgin daughter of Zion that the Lord had caused her enemie to reioyce ouer her and had set vp the horne of her aduersaries Lament 2.17 The reproach and ignominie that commeth from an enemie in time of misery is to some farre more grieuous than death it selfe who rather choose to die though it be by their owne hands or the hands of a friend than they will endure dishonour from an enemie Examples of such a resolution there are many in prophane Histories as in Plutarch of a Tom. 3. vit in Catone Catâ— Minor b In Antonio Antonius and Cleopatra in c Annal. lib. 16. Tacitus of Thraseas These of the Heathen killed themselues through impatiencie as not being able to endure the reproach and shame which they feared the one from Caesar two of them from Augustus the fourth from Nero. Nor is the Sacred story void of examples of this kinde Abimelech sonne of d Ierubesheth 2 Sam. 11.21 Ierubbaal he whom the Sichemites e Iudg. 9.6 made their King when at an assault of his giuen to the tower of Theber he had his scull broken by a peece of a Milstone which a certaine woman had cast vpon his head he called hastily vnto a young man his armour-bearer and said vnto him Draw my sword and slay me that men say not of me A woman slew him And his young-man thrust him thorow and he died Iudg. 9.54 Such was the end of that ambitious and cruell tyrant He is slaine of a woman and when he sees he is to die hee is desirous to blot out that infamie he will not haue it said of him that a woman slew him That a woman of the enemies side slew him he will not by any meanes haue it said of him Kill him rather than it should be said A woman slew him Such was the impatience of Saul Saul he that was the first King of the Israelites when the Philistines had gotten the day against him 1 Sam. 31.2 1 Chron. 10.2 had slaine three of his sonnes Ionathan Abinadab and Malchishua and himselfe was wounded by their archers he thus spake vnto his Armour-bearer Draw thy sword and thrust me thorow therewith lest these vncircumcised come and thrust me thorow and mocke me Which vile act his Armour-bearer refusing Saul became his owne executioner took his owne sword and slew himselfe 1 Sam. 31.4 He takes his own sword and slayes himselfe And why so Lest saith he these vncircumcised Philistines come and thrust me thorow and mocke me See he will die that he may not die he will be thrust thorow that he may not be thrust thorow he will kill himselfe that the Philistines may not kill him Hee will not endure to come within the power of his enemies I commend not Saul for his valour in killing himselfe nor Abimelech for his in causing his Armour-bearer to thrust him thorow It was not valour in them but cowardise or impatiencie For if they could with patience haue borne and endured their troubles they would not haue hastened their owne death Selfe-killing is a sinne so grieuous that scarce there is any more hainous before the Lord. Many reasons may be alleaged to shew the vnlawfulnesse of this fact and I hold it not amisse to bring a few especially in the iniquitie of these times wherein wretchednesse hath so fearefully preuailed in some persons and almost daily doth preuaile that they dare plunge themselues into this pit of terrible destruction My first reason shall be because it is forbidden in that Commandement Thou shalt not kill Exod. 20.13 In that Commandement is forbidden the killing of any man without lawfull authority But no man hath authority ouer himselfe because no man is superiour to himselfe and therefore no man may kill himselfe Out of S. Augustine lib. 1. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 20. I thus frame the reason Thou shalt not kill that is the Law The Law is not Exod. 20.13 thou shalt not kill thy neighbour limiting it as it were to some but indefinitly Thou shalt not kill extending it largely to all and therefore a man may not kill himselfe My second reason I take from that other Law Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe It is giuen in the Old Leuit. 19.18 Matth. 5.43 22.39 Rom. 13.9 Galat. 5.14 Iames 2.8 and is oft repeated in the New Testament Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Where the loue of our selues is made measure for the loue of our neighbours Thou oughtest to loue thy neighbour but as thou louest thy selfe The example of thy charity is drawne from thy selfe at home Thy soule thy preseruation the good wished to thy selfe should be the true direction of thy deeds vnto thy neighbour But it is vnlawfull for thee to lay bloudy or murthering hands vpon thy neighbour and therefore thou mayest not make away thy selfe It is more vnnaturall for thee to shed thine owne bloud than thy neighbours Thy neighbours thou mayest not shed much lesse mayest thou shed thine owne Thirdly for a man to kill himselfe it is an iniury to the Common-wealth wherein he liueth for thereby he maimeth the Common-wealth and cutteth off one of her members The King thereby shall want a man when he hath vse of him This is an iniury to the State therfore a man may not kill himself Fourthly our life is giuen vs of God God hath placed vs in this world as in a watch or standing from whence we may not stirre a foot till God call vs
fruitfull land God turneth into barrennes for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein This one place had I troubled you with no more would haue been a pregnant and sufficient proofe of my propounded doctrine What fruit can you looke for out of barrennesse And by this one place you see that God turneth a fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wâ—ckednesse of them that dwel therein You must then acknowledge the lesson commended vnto you to be good and true namely that for the sinnes of a people God will make their Carmel to wither that for the sinnes of a people God will make best grounds to yeeld them little or no profit Now let vs see what vse we may make of this doctrine for our further instructions A first vse is to admonish such as doe dwell in delectable pleasant well watred and fruitfull places that they boast not ouermuch of their fertile and sweet possessions since there is no land so dâ—lectable to the eie or fruitfull to the purse but it may be turned into a wildernesse If for our sinnes God shall come against vs in the fiercenesse of his wrath we shall be as g Esay 1.9 Sodom and like vnto Gomorah our land shall burne with brimstone and h Deut. 29.23 salt it shall not be sowen nor shall bring forth neither shall any grasse grow therein O Lord deale not with vs after our sinnes neither reward vs according to our iniquities A second vse is to warne rich men the richer sort among you that weighing rightly the power of Almighty God by which he maketh the top of Carmel to wither turneth your fruitfull fields into barrennesse you will beware of insolencie and containe your selues in modestie and submission Know this there is no man hath a foot of ground or neuer so small a possession to dwell in but he hath it at Gods hand and vpon this condition that he keep his statutes and commandements Which if you disobey contemne and cast behinde you assure your selues your riches are none of yours you are not the right owners of them but meere vsurpers The Lord of hoasts will send an hoast of enemies against you Art thou rich in mony thou art in danger of theeues art thou plentifull in hâ—ushâ—ld stuffe thou are in danger of fire hast thou much gold the rust doth venime it and thee is thine apparell gorgious the moth will eat it hast thou store of cattell rottennesse may coÌ„sume them is thy maintenance by husbandrie blastings and mildewes will hinder thee the i â—â—câ— 1. â— palmer worm will eat thy fruits that which the palmer worme shall leaue the grashâ—pper shall eat that which the grashopper shall leaue the canker worme shall eat and that which the canker worme shall leaue the caterpiller shall eat So many and many more enemies can the Lord of hoasts send to fight against you if you hate to be reformed and cast his commandements behind you A third and the last vse of my propounded doctrine is to stirre vp my selfe and all you that heare me this day gratefully and thankfully to recount the mercifulnesse patience and long sufferance of our God Our sinnes haue deserued it at his hands that hee should make the top of our Carmel to wither that he should make our best grounds to yeeld vs little or no profit that he should smite vs with blasting and mildew that hee should make the Heauen ouer our head brasse and the Earth vnder vs yron that insteed of raine hee should giue vs aust and ashes that he should take from vs his corne his wine his wool his flax and whatsoeuer good thing else hee hath lent vs for our vse All this and much more haue our sinnes deserued and yet God withholdeth from vs his reuenging hand O the depth of the riches of the mercifulnesse patience and long sufferance of our God Yet stay ye soâ—nâ—s of Belial and imps of Hell yee wicked ones who serue vnder Satans Banner Gods mercifulnesse patience and long sufferance is to you very small advantage S. Basil treating vpon the words of the couetous rich man Luk. 12.18 those words I will pull downe my barnes and build greater tels you that God his goodnesse extended to you in your fields or elsewhere bringeth vpon you in the end the greater punishment True great Basil God his iustice goeth on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slowly and in order Long before thy time was this lesson learned in Natures schoole k Lib. 1. c. 1. Valerius Maximus who liued vnder Tiberius Caesar recounting some of the sacrileges of Dionysius clearely carried with frompes and mockeries saith Lento gradu ad vindictam sui diuina procedit ira the wrath of God proceedeth to the execution of vengeance with a remisse slow pace but euermore as he well addeth tarditatem supplicij grauitate compensat it recompenseth the slacknesse of punishment with the heauinesse thereof I will not weary your religious eares with prophane though fit sentences for this argument out of l Lib. 3. od 2. Raro antecedentem scelestum Deseruit pede poena claudo Horace m Lib. 1. cleg 9. Ah miser et si quis primo perjuria celat Sera tamen tacitis poena venit pedibus Tibullus n Lib. 3. Quis enim laesos impune putaret Esse deos Lucan o Lib. deijs qui tardè a numine corripiuntur Plutarch nor with those well knowne prouerbs Dij lenti sed certi vindices Dij lane os pedes habent Tacito pede and Cunctabundus naturâ Deus From Natures schoole I recall my selfe to the God of Nature who though in his word of eternal truth he proclaimeth himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a p Exod. 34.6 God slow to anger and is for such acknowledged by the neuer fayling testifications and reports of diuinely inspired q Nehem. 9.17 Psal 86.15 Psal 103.8 145.8 Rom. 2 4. 2. Pet. 3.9 Prophets and Apostles is notwithstanding in the same word noted to r Exod 20.6 34.7 Deut. 5.9 Ierem. 32.18 recompense the iniquity of the Fathers into the bosome of their children after them It must stand euer good Quo tardius eo grauius that the longer God is before hee punisheth hee punisheth so much the more grieuously Though for a time he bee pleased to hold his tongue and to walke as with woollen feet yet at length shall we or our posteritie find by wofull experience that he hath a rod of yron ro rule vs yea and to breake vs in peeces like potters vessels Wherefore dearely beloued in the Lord while God is pleased to withhold from vs his owne hand of Iustice to stretch ouer vs his other of Mercy to the blessing of vs in our fields in our cattle in our store let vs not be wedded to the hardnesse of our owne hearts let vs not dwell in our old sinnes nor heape new vpon them lest so we treasure vp vnto our selues wrath
the Aegyptians The Aegyptians they were but the weapons of Gods wrath wherewith he afflicted his people they were Gods weapons were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Witnesse those ten great plagues which at length God wrought vpon them and their fearefull ouerthrow in the red sea at large set downe in the booke of Exodus from the seuenth Chapter to the end of the fourteenth This was it which God said vnto Abraham Gen. 15.13 14. Know for a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundred yeares and shall serue them and they shall intreat them euill notwithstanding the Nation whom they shall serue will I iudge Ahab the most wicked of the Kings of Israel who sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord and his accursed wife Iezebel were Gods instruments to afflict Naboth with the losse of his life and Vineyard Ahab and Iezebel were Gods instruments Were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Witnesse both their ends the end of Ahab recorded 1 King 22 38. In the place where dogges licked the bloud of Naboth did dogges licke the bloud of Ahab also and the end of Iezabel registred the 2 Kings 9.35 Shee was eaten vp with dogges all sauing her skull her feet and the palmes of her hands It was a part of Daniel his afflictions to be cast into the den of Lions His accusers vnto Darius were the instruments of his affliction These his accusers were the Lords instruments for this businesse Were they therefore to escape vnpunished No. Their fearefull end is set downe Dan. 6.24 By the Commandement of King Darius they with their wiues and children were cast into the den of Lions the Lions had the mastery of them and brake all their bones in peeces ere euer they came to the ground of the den The time will not suffer me to recall to your remembrances all the iudgements of God of this qualitie written downe in the Register of Gods workes his holy Word how and what he rendred to g Ester 7.10 Haman to h 2 Kings 19.35 37. Sennacherib to i Ierem. 36.29 Ioachim to the k Ierem. 49.2 Ammonites to the l Ierem. 49.9 51.20 Chaldeans to the m Ezech. 35.2 Idumeans and other wicked worldlings for their hard measure offered to his children though they were therein his owne instruments The afore-mentioned instances of the Aegyptians of Ahab and his wife Iezebel and of Daniel his accusers may serue for the declaration of my propounded doctrine Though the Lord doe vse his enemies as instruments to correct his owne seruants and children yet will he in his due time ouerthrow those his enemies with a large measure of his iudgements The reason hereof is because Gods iustice cannot let them escape vnpunished Saint Paul expresseth it 2 Thess 1.6 It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you Let this be our comfort whensoeuer the wicked shall rage against vs. For hereby are we assured when the Lord shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angells in flaming fire that then to the wicked whose behauiour towards the godly is proud and despiteous he will render vengeance and punish them with euerlasting perdition Saint Peter to make vs stedfast in this comfort disputeth this point Ep. 1. chap. 4.17 The point he proueth by an argument drawne à minori inferring from a truth to carnall mens vnderstanding lesse probable a truth of greater probabilitie Iudgement saith he beginneth at the house of God If it first begin at vs what shall be the end of them which obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarsly be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare Our Sauiours words Luk. 23.31 doe containe a like argument If they doe these things to a greene tree what shall he done to the dry To like purpose in Ierem. 25.29 saith the Lord of Hoasts Loe I begin to plague the city where my name is called vpon and shall you goe free Yee shall not goe free Hitherto I referre also one other text Esai 10.12 where it is said that God when he hath done and dispatched all his worke vpon Mount Sion will visit the fruit of the proud heart of the King of Assyria the meaning of the place is that God when he hath sufficiently chastised and corrected those of his owne house his beloued children will turne his sword against the scorners of his Maiestie When God hath serued his owne turne by the wicked then comes their turne also howsoeuer for a while they flourish in hope to escape Gods hand and to abide vnpunished yet will God in due time well enough finde them out to pay them double The vses of this doctrine I can but point at One is to admonish vs that we spite not any of the wicked who now doe liue in rest because their turne to be punished must come and faile not The further it is put off from them the heauier in the end it will fall vpon them A second vse is to teach vs patience in afflictions for as much as God will shortly cause the cup to passe from vs to our aduersaries But say he will not Yet neuerthelesse are we to possesse our soules in patience reioycing and giuing thankes to God who hath made vs worthy not only to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake For we haue learned Act. 14.22 That through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of God c. The Prophets and Apostles and Martyrs which were not only reuiled and scourged but also beheaded cut in peeces drowned in water consumed in fire by other tyrannicall deuices cruelly put to death they all by this way receiued the manifest token of their happy and blessed estate and entred into the kingdome of God And we vndoubtedly know 2 Cor. 5.1 Tâ—at if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens Thus farre of my second circumstance the circumstance of the punished the Aramites professed enemies vnto God yet by him employed in the correction of his owne children the Israelites are here themselues punished My doctrine was Though the Lord doe vse his enemies as instruments to correct his owne seruants and children yet will be in due time ouerthrow those his enemies with a large measure of his iudgements The third circumstance is the punishment a going into captiuity amplified by the place This captiuitie bondage and slauery was to be in an vnknowne strange and a farre countrey Kir in Media The people of Aram shall goe into captiuitie vnto Kir The doctrine is For the sinne of a Land God oftentimes sendeth away the inhabitants into captiuitie Captiuitie to be an effect or punishment of sinne King Salomon in his prayer made to the Lord at his consecration or dedication of the Temple 1 King 8.46
that ye might send them far from their border that is Gods inheritance his owne seed and seruants the children of Iudah and Ierusalem the cruell and hard hearted Philistines did mancipate and sell away for bondslaues to the Grecians dwelling farre off that with them they might liue in perpetuall seruitude and slauery without all hope of liberty or redemption Now in this that the Lord calleth the Philistines to a reckoning because they had sold away his people though they were their captiues vnto Infidels we may learne this lesson It is not lawfull to commit the children of beleeuers into the hands of Infidels The vnlawfulnes herof appeareth by the charge which Moses giueth the Israelites Deut. 7.3 His charge is concerning the Hittites the Gergasites the Amorites the Canaanites the Perizzites the Hiuits and the Iebusites that they should not at all make any couenant with them nor giue them their children in mariage And why so Because by such couenants mariages they might be withdrawn from the true seruice of God to the prophane worship of Idols For so it 's said verse the 4. They will cause thy son to turne away from me and to serue other gods The danger of such couenants and mariages S. Paul knew to be very great and therefore from such he dehorteth the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6.14 Be ye not vnequally yoked with the infidels He vseth the similitude of Oxen coupled together The yoke holdeth them so together that looke which way the one draweth the other must needs follow In like case it is with men They that fall into familiarity with the wicked doe couple themselues with them and so are led out of the way and made to worke wickednesse before the Lord. From this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this vnequall yoke with Infidels from conuersing with the wicked the Apostle disswadeth the Corinthians and in them vs by sundry arguments drawne ab absurdo In each argument there is an Antithesis two things opposed the one to the other In the first righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse in the second light and darknesse in the third Christ and Belial in the fourth the Beleeuer and the Infidell in the fifth Gods Temple and Idols Euery argument is set downe by way of question The first what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse The answer is negatiue none The answer may be illustrated by a similitude Eccl. 13.18 How can the wolfe agree with the lambe no more can the vngodly with the righteous The second what communion hath light with darknesse The answer is negatiue none No more than truth hath with a lie as Drusius well expoundeth the place Prou. Class 1. lib. 3.78 Light hath no communion with darknes therefore the beleeuer ought not to conuerse with an vnbeleeuer This consequence is made good by Eph. 5.8 where the Apostle telleth the Ephesians that they were once darknesse but now are light in the Lord. Tenebras vocat infideles saith Musculus vpon the Text S. Paul calleth vnbeleeuers darknesse for their ignorance of God and the blindnesse of their hearts but he calleth the beleeuers light for their knowledge of God by which their hearts are through the holy Ghost illuminated Light hath no communion with darknesse therefore beleeuers are not to haue familiarity with vnbeleeuers The third what concord hath Christ with Belial The answer is negatiue none The opposition betweene these two Christ and Belial is most hostile Christ is the Author of our saluation Belial of our perdition Christ is the restorer of all things Belial the destroier Christ is the Prince of light Belial the prince of darknesse In such hostile opposition there can be no concord no concord between the Author of our saluation and the author of our perdition no concord between the restorer of all things and the destroyer of all things no concord betweene the Prince of light the prince of darknes therefore they that beleeue in Christ are not to haue familiarity with vnbeleeuers The fourth what part hath the beleeuer with the infidell The answer is negatiue none The beleeuer hath no portion with the vnbeleeuer and therefore he is not to haue any familiarity with him The fift what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols The answer is negatiue none There is none indeed Sacrilega est profanatio saith a Comment in 2 Cor. 16.6 Caluin it is a sacrilegious prophaning of Gods Temple to place in it an Idoll or to vse any idolatrous worship therein We are the Temple of God wherefore to infect our selues with any contagion of Idols in vs it must be sacrilegious There is no agreement betweene the Temple of God and Idols therefore we are not to haue any familiarity with the Idolatrous Remember I beseech you righteousnesse hath no fellowship with vnrighteousnesse light hath no communion with darknesse Christ is not at concord with Belial the beleeuer hath no part with the infidell there is no agreement betweene the Temple of God and Idols therefore may we not enter into familiarity with the wicked prophane and idolatrous we may not make any couenant with them we may not giue them our children in mariage Thus is my doctrine confirmed It is n t lawfull to commit the children of beleeuers into the hands of Infidels Now to the vses The first serueth for our instruction and teacheth vs so to loue the soules of the righteous seed that we leaue them not resident among Infidels or Atheists or Papists or any prophane wretches but rather that to our labour and cost we redeeme them out of the Dâ—uils tyranny We must haue a singular care for the children which are borne among vs that they be godly and vertuously brought vp and so prouided for that they may doe Christ some seruice in the Church and Common-wealth Our Sauiour his words Mat. 18.6 are true without exception Whosoeuer shall offend one of these little ones which beleeue in me it were better for him that a milstone were changed about his necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea What measure then are we to looke for if we bequeath our children to the seruice of men of corrupt consciences and wicked affections such as will compasse Heauen and Earth to make any one the childe of damnation A second vse may be for the reproofe of such as do bind and put their children the fruit of their bodies which they ought to consecrate vnto the Lord into the education of open enemies to the Gospel of Christ most blasphemous and abominable Atheists or most blind and superstitious Papists Are not these as much to be complained of as those whom the Lord here condemneth for selling of Israels seed into the hands of the Edomites Yes and much more For those sold their enemies but our men sell their children those did it by the law of war but our men doe it contrary to the law of God those in doing as they did did not sin against their knowledge
dust of the earth in a measure weighes the mountaines in a weight and the hils in a ballance God! incorporeall inuisible spirituall passing all measure there is nothing p Esai 46.9 like vnto him No thing And therefore O Idolaters not your old mans image For the truth of your antecedent we stand on your side It s very true the Scripture in expresse words attributeth vnto God many the members and offices of mans body It saith of him that he stands he sits he walkes it nameth his head his feet his armes it giues him a seat a throne a footstoole but all these and other like bodily offices parts and members being spoken of as belonging vnto God must be vnderstood figuratiuely It hath pleased the spirit of wisdome to deale with vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fit the holy Scriptures to our weake capacities to vse knowne familiar and sensible tearmes thereby to raise vp our conceits to some knowledge of the euerliuing God In this regard by the wisdome of the same spirit among many other members Hâ—nds are also ascribed vnto God and that in many places yet not in euery place to one and the same sense and vnderstanding It s noted by the q Cont. 13. cap. 4. Magdeburgenses out of Innocentius that the hand of God doth beare diuers offices among vs officia creatoris largientis protegentis minantis the offices of a Creator liberall giuer protector and threatner Hands are ascribed vâ—â— God sometime to shew that he is the Creator of all things 〈◊〉 Psal 119.73 Thy hands haue made me and fashioned me sometime to shew his liberality to all liuing things as Psal 145.16 Thou openest thy hand and fillest all things liuing of thy good pleasure sometime to shew the care he hath to protect and defend the faithfull as Esai 49.2 Vnder the shadow of his hand hath he hid me and sometime to shew his readinesse to bee auenged vpon the wicked as Esai 10.4 His hand is stretched out still But these and all other the significations of the hand of God I reduce to two heads to the loue of God and his displeasure vnder them comprehending all their consequents and effects That the hand of God betokeneth sometime his loue and the benefits redounding thence to man mans being and his well-being may easily be proued In the second chapter of the book of Iudges ver 15. we read that the Lords hand was against the Israelites for euill the collection thence may be that the Lords hand is sometime toward some for good It is made plaine out of Neh. 2.8 where the Prophet to shew how ready Artaxerxes was to doe him pleasure saith The King gaue me according to the good hand of my God vpon me I might by many like instances out of holy Scripture giue strength to this position but it may seeme to be a needlesse labour Therefore I proceed Now that the hand of God should betoken his displeasure and the effects thereof may be proued as easily When the Israelites forsaking God betooke themselues to serue Baalim the hand of the Lord was sore against them Iudg. 2.15 the Lords hand that is his iudgement punishment and reuengement was sore vpon them the wrath of the Lord was hot against them he deliuered them into the hands of the spoilers they were spoiled sold to the enemies and sore punished When the Philistines had brought the arke of God into the house of Dagon the hand of the Lord was heauy vpon them 1 Sam. 5.6 the Lords hand that is his iudgement punishment and reuengement was heauy vpon them * Psal 78.64 â—â— The Lord awaked as one out of sleepe and like a Giant refreshed with wine hee smote his enemies with Emerods and put them to a perpetuall shame Of like signification is the phrase in my text I will turne my hand to Ekron my hand shall be sore against Ekron I will come against Ekron in iudgement I will punish Ekron I will take vengeance on Ekron I will turne my hand Sometime this phrase betokeneth the good grace and fauour of God as Zach. 13.7 I will turne my hand vpon my little ones My little ones when the shepherd shall be smitten and the sheepe scattered I will recouer with my hand and preserue them for euer I will gather them together I will comfort them I will defend them rursus ad pastorem praeceptorem suum reducam saith Ribera though they be scattered I will bring them backe againe to their owne shepherd and master There you see Gods turning of his hand vpon his little ones is for good Here it s otherwise God turneth his hand to Ekron for euill This is auerred and iustified by the infallible predictions of other Prophets Zachary chap. 9.5 foretelleth that much sorrow shall betide Ekron Zephany chap. 2.4 saith that Ekron shall be rooted vp Ieremy chap. 25.20 takes the cup of the wine of Gods indignation and giues it Ekron to drinke to make Ekron like her neighbour countries euen desolation and astonishment a hissing and a curse So great is Ekrons calamity threatned in these words of my text I will turne my hand to Ekron Ekron Will you know what this Ekron was You shall finde in the booke of Ioshua chap. 13.3 that it was a dukedome in the land of the Philistines and 1 Sam. 6.16 that there was in this dukedome a city of the same name no base city but a Princes seat able at one time to giue entertainment to fiue Princes Against both city and dukedome Gods hand was stretched out I wi l turne my hand to Ekron Will God smite Ekron both city and dukedome We may take from hence this lesson There is no safe being in city or country from the hand of God when he is disposed to punish The reason is because there is no place to flie vnto from his presence None No corner in Hell no mansion in Heauen no caue in the top of Carmel no fishes belly in the bottome of the sea no darke dungeon in the land of captiuity no place of any secrecy any where can hide vs from the presence of God Witnesse two holy Prophets Dauid and Amos. The one Psal 139. the other chap. 9. You haue the reason of my Doctrine the vses follow Is it true Is there no safe being in City or Country from the hand of God when he is disposed to punish One vse hereof is to teach vs to take patiently whatsoeuer afflictions shall befall vs. Afflictions I call whatsoeuer is any way opposite to humane nature such as are the temptations of the flesh the world and the Deuill the diseases of the body an infortunate husband or wife rebellious children vnthankfull friends losse of goods reproaches slanders warre pestilence famine imprisonment death euery crosse and passion bodily or ghostly proper to our selues or appertaining to such as are of our bloud priuate or publike secret or manifest either by our owne deserts gotten or otherwise imposed
The first transgression he will haue to be the selling of the iust the second the oppression of the poore the third their peruerting the way of the meeke the fourth the violation of matrimony These are but so many descants vpon the words of my text For three transgressions of Israel and for foure Three and foure make seuen It seemeth then that Israel transgressed against God seuen times Seuen times It is plaine by Scripture that they transgressed Saepiùs ac saepiùs as Mercerus speaketh many a time oft yea from the diuision of their Kingdome vnder Ieroboam sonne of Nebat their first King vnto Hoshea sonne of Elah their last King they did nothing but transgresse against the Lord their God what by Idolatry and what by other wickednesses Heere then by three and foure which make seuen we are to vnderstand many The rule holds true in Diuinity A finite number is oftentimes put for an infinite S. Austin hath obserued it lib. 3. de doctrina Christi cap. 35. I thus explicate it In Leuit. 26.18 to the rebellious and disobedient thus saith the Lord If ye will not yet for all this hearken vnto me then I will punish you seuen times more for your sinnes Seuen times more that is many times more will I punish you Hannah in her song 1 Sam. 2.5 hath this straine The barren hath borne seuen children By seuen there you are to vnderstand many Shee that was barren hath borne many children Dauid in Psal 119.164 sayth Seuen times a day doe I praise thee Seuen times that is many times as if had sayd Semper laus eius in ore meo All the day long am I in the praises of my God Salomon in Prou. 26 25. aduiseth vs not to beleeue the gracious words of an enemy because saith hee there are in his heart seuen abominations Seuen abominations that is many abominations many sly purposes lie hidden in the heart of an enemy What neede more examples By these few the phrase in my text is plaine The seuen transgressions of Israel for three foure are seuen the seuen transgressions of Israel are the many transgressions of Israel In this phrase then doth the Lord obiect vnto Israel innumera peccata the multitude of their sinnes For which he is vnwilling any longer to forbeare them whereupon followeth his protestation against them I will not turne away the punishment thereof For three tranâ—gressions of Israel and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof The meaning is if once if twice yea if a third time only the Israelites had offended mee with the greeuousnesse of their transgressions I could haue tolerated them and would not haue cast them from out my sight but now whereas a fourth time sâ—piùs sapiùs againe and againe they relapse and fall backe to their impieties and with a shamelesse forehead make no end of sinning certa stat sententia I am resolued no more to recall them to my fauour but to leaue them to themselues that obstinate and indurate as they are in the multitude of their abominations wherein they haue so deepely plunged themselues they may suddenly bee cast into the pit of destruction Now from these two first parts of this prophesie the generall accusation of Israel for sinne and the Lords protestation against them for the same ariseth this lesson God is euer in open hostility with sinners A sinner ouer-valuing the vanities wherein his delight is placed first neglecteth God then hateth him Thus affected he would if possible disarme God of his authority pull his power from him and cast him out of his state Hee could wish there were no immortality of the Soule no account to be made of our actions no reward no reuenge no Iudge to punish So willing is hee to bathe himselfe in the imaginary contentment and pleasures of sinne I can put no great difference between this sinner and an Atheist The Atheist thinketh there is no God this sinner wisheth there were no God Now God who feeleth the pulse of this sinners heart and searcheth his inmost thoughts seeth his traytorous affection can he be at peace with him King Ioram sayd to Iehu 2 King 9.22 Is it peace Iehu Iehu answered what peace so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel and her witch-crafts are so many This sinner happily will looke to be at peace with God but he is soone answered What hast thou to doe with peace What peace with God doest thou looke for so long as thou castest away his feare and liest wallowing in thy sinnes I must grant it God is the God of peace the Scripture saith it more then once Rom. 15.33 and chap. 16.20 and in * 2 Cor. 13.11 Phil. 4.9 1 Thess 5.23 2 Thess 3.16 Hebr. 13.20 other places But what is this to the sinner Nothing at all For the same Scripture will assure him there is no peace to him Esai 48.22 and 57.12 To the sinner the Lord will shew himselfe quasi bellator fortis as hee is called Ierem. 20.11 hee will shew himselfe as a stout warriour And for such he is described Deut. 32.41 There thus saith the Lord concerning sinners If I whet my glittering sword and mine hand take hold on iudgement I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me I will make mine arrowes drunk with their blood and my sword shall deuoure their flesh To like purpose is that which we read of Gods dealing with sinners Psal 7.12 He whets his sword he bends his bow and makes it ready hee prepareth for them the instruments of death he ordaineth his arrowes against them So haue you my doctrine established God is euer in open hostility with sinners Is God euer in open hostility with sinners Consider this all yee that feare God remember it all ye that beare the image of the Almighty The sinner that is ouertaken with three transgressions and with foure that lieth in his sinnes and walloweth in his iniquities his case is fearefull his estate lamentable God proclaimeth against him open warre most certaine destruction and will not turne away his punishments from him Let it Beloued rouze vs vp from that sleepe of sinne wherein we haue too long rested All the good gifts and benefits of God which God hath bestowed vpon vs for our good we haue abused to sinne God hath giuen vs vnderstanding to meditate vpon his holy lawes but our vnderstanding we haue peruerted to the transgression of his holy Lawes God hath giuen vs the will to loue him aboue all things and our neighbours as our selues but we haue diuerted our will to the contempt of God and the hate of our neighbours God hath giuen vs the tongue to powre forth his praises but our tongues we haue defiled with impure oathes and ougly blasphemies God hath giuen vs hands for instruments to feed the poore and to defend them but the strength of our hands we haue wasted in crueltie and rapine
tongue in the Vniuersitie of Paris is of opinion that the Amorite here and else-where is aboue all and for all mentioned because he of all was the most terrible the most mighty and the strongest The like is affirmed by Arias Montanus that learned Spaniard Amorrhaeum potissimùm appellat The Amorite he especially nameth because that Nation multitudine copijs atque potentiâ in multitude in forces and in power excelled all the rest of the Nations that were cast out before Israell Here then where the Lord hath sayd Yet destroyed I the Amorite in the Amorite we are to vnderstand also the rest of those seauen Nations which the Lord draue out from before Israel the Hittites the Girgasites and the Canaanites and the Perezzites and the Hivites and the Iebusites Seauen they were in number greater and mightier then Israell was All seauen were cast out by the Lord from before Israel and so much are we to vnderstand by this that the Lord here sayth Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them Before them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint They well render the Hebrew which word for word is a faciè ipsorum from their face Mercerus sayth a conspectu eorum from their sight that is sayth he corum causâ ad eorum adventum for their sake or at their comming Albertus Magnus renders it à praesentia eorum from their presence Our English before them hits the sense The sense is God stroke such a terror into those seauen Nations the inhabitants of the land of Canaan that at the comming of the Israelites at the hearing of the name of Israel they vanished they fled away they forsooke their auncient habitations or else were suddenly slaine without much resistance Thus haue you the exposition of the first branch of this ninth verse which conteineth a generall touch of the ruine of the Amorites Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them The Israelites their vnthankefulnesse towards me is verie notorious yet haue I destroyed the Amorite before them Yet I the Lord their God who haue freed them from their bondage in Egypt and haue led them fortie yeares through the wildernesse I haue destroyed haue ouerthrowne haue driuen out haue brought to ruine The Amorite not onely the Amorites but also the rest of the Nations sixe other mightie Nations whose dwelling was in the land of Canaan all these haue I destroyed before them for their sake for Israels sake that Israel might without resistance take quiet possession of the land of Canaan the land that floweth with milke and honey The lesson which we may take from hence is this God is all in all either in the ouerthrow of his enemies or in the vpholding of his children For further proofe hereof we may haue recourse to the 15. chapter of the Booke of Exodus There Moses sings a song vnto the Lord a song of thankesgiuing wherein hee acknowledgeth the Lord to be all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies Pharaoh and his host in the red Sea His acknowledgment is vers 6. Thy right hand O Lord is become glorious in power thy right hand O Lord hath dashed in peices the enemie In the greatnesse of thine excellencie thou hast ouerthrowne them thou sentest forth thy wrath which hath consumed them as stubble With the blast of thy nostrills the waters were gathered together the flouds stood vpright as an heape the depths were congealed in the heart of the Sea The enemie feared not to enter But thou Lord didst blow with thy wind the Sea couered them they sanke as lead in the mightie waters Who is like vnto thee O Lord Who is like thee God is all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies He is also all in all in the vpholding of his children Moses in the same song auoucheth it vers 13. Thou Lord in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed Thou hast guided them in thy strength vnto thine holy habitation It was not their q Psal 44.3 owne sword that deliuered them neither did their owne arme saue them But the Lord He and his mercie He and his strength deliuered them God is all in all in vpholding of his children Is it thus dearely beloued Is God all in all in the ouerthrow of his enemies Then for the ouerthrow of that great Nauie called the inuincible Nauie the great Armada of Spaine which * This Sermon was preached A gust 27. 1615. twentie seauen yeares r Au. Ch. 1588. since threatned desolation to the inhabitants of this I le let God haue the glorie It was the right hand of the Lord not our vertue not our merits not our armes not our men of might but the right hand of the Lord it was that brought that great worke to passe Their ſ Exod. 15.4.5 chosen Captaines were drowned in the Sea the depth couered them they sanke into the bottome as a stone Some of them that were taken from the furie of the waues and were brought prisoners to the honourablest cittie in this land in their anguish of mind spared not to say t Letter to Mendoza pa. 17. that in all those fights which at Sea they saw Christ shewed himselfe a Lutheran Sure I am that Christ shewed himselfe to be little Englands u Psal 18.1 rocke and fortresse and strength and deliuerer Quid retribuemus What shall we render nay what can we render vnto the Lord for so great a deliuerance Let our song begin as the Psalme doth the 115. Psalme Non nobis Domine non nobis Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glory for thy mercie and for thy truths sake With like affection recount we the deliuerance of our King and State from that infernall and hellish exployt of the powder treason The contriuers thereof I now name not What could they expect but vpon the least discouerie of so execrable an action to incurre an vniuersall detestation to haue all the hatred of the earth poured vpon them and theirs to be the outcasts of the Common wealth and the Maranathaes of the Church they and their names for euer to be an abhorring to all flesh Yet they so farre proceeded in that their Diabolicall machination that they were at the poynt to haue giuen the blow that blow that should haue beene the common ruine of vs all But God our God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greekes describe him Psal 9.9 A helper at opportunities in the needfull times of trouble when we were thus x Ioh. 4.35 albi ad messem white for their haruest readie to be cut downe by them then euen then did our God deliuer vs. Quid retribuemus What what shall we render nay what can we render vnto the Lord for so great a deliuerance Let our song be as before Non nobis Domine non nobis Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glory for thy mercy and
light in great measure readily to conceiue what God would haue reuealed and faithfully to publish it according to the will of God S. p De Genesi ad literam lib. 11. cap. 33. Austen enquiring how God spake with Adam and Eue writeth to this purpose It may be God talked with them as he talketh with his Angels by some q Jntrinsecus infabilibus modis internall and secret meanes as by giuing light to their minds and vnderstandings or it may be he talked with them by his creature which God vseth to doe two manner of waies either by some vision to men in a trance so he talked with Peter Act. 10. or else by presenting some shape and semblance to bodily senses So God by his Angels talked with Abraham Gen. 18. and with Lot Gen. 19. S. r Expos Moral lib. 28. incap â—8 â—â— Iob cap. 2. Gregory most accurately handleth this question to this sense God speaketh two manner of wayes 1. By himselfe as when he speaketh to the heart by the inward inspiration of the holy Spirit After which sense we must vnderstand that which we read Act. 8.29 The spirit said vnto Philip go neere and ioyne thy selfe to yonder chariot that is Philip was inwardly moued to draw neare and ioyne himselfe to the chariot wherein the Aethiopian Eunuch sate and read the Prophecie of Esay The like words we finde Act. 10.19 The spirit said vnto Peter Behold three men seeke thee the meaning is the same Peter was inwardly moued by the holy Spirit to depart from Ioppa and to goe to Caesarea to preach vnto the Gentiles to Cornelius and his company Where we may note thus much for our comforts that whensoeuer we are inwardly moued and doe feele our hearts touched with an earnest desire either to make our priuate requests vnto God or to come to the place of publike prayer or to heare a sermon we may be assured that the Holy Spirit God by himselfe speakes vnto vs. 2 God speaketh to vs by his creatures Angelicall and other and that in diuers manners 1 In word only as when no forme is seene but a voice only is heard as Iohn 12.28 when Christ prayed Father glorifie thy name immediately there came a voice from heauen I both haue glorified it and will glorifie it againe 1 In deed only as when no voice is heard but some semblance only is obiected to the senses S. Gregory for illustration of this second way of Gods speaking by his creatures bringeth for example the vision of Ezechiel 1.4 He saw a whirlewind come out of the North with a great cloud and fire wrapped about it and in the middest of the fire the likenesse of Amber All this hee saw but you heare no mention of any voice Here was res sine verbo a deed but no voice 3 Both in word and deed as when there is both a voice heard and also some semblance obiected to the senses as happened vnto Adam presently after his fall Hee heard the voice of the Lord walking in the Garden Gen. 3.8 4 By shapes presented to the inward eyes of our hearts So Iacob in his dreame saw a ladder reach from earth to heauen Gen. 28.12 So Peter in a trance saw a vessell descend from heauen Act. 10.11 So Paul in a vision saw a man of Macedonia standing by him Act. 16.9 6 By shapes presented to our bodily eyes So Abraham saw the three men that stood by him in the plaine of Mamre Gen. 18.2 And Lot saw the two Angels that came to Sodome Gen. 19.1 6 By Celestiall substances So at Christs baptisme a Å¿ Matth. 3.17 voice was heard out of a cloud as also at his t Matth. 17.5 transfiguration vpon the mount This is my beloued son c. By Celestiall substances I doe here vnderstand not only the Heauens with the workes therein but also fire the highest of the elements and the Aire next vnto it togeher with the winds and Clouds 7. By Terrestriall substances So God to reproue the dulnesse of Balaam enabled Balaams owne Asse to speak Num. 22.28 8 Both by Celestiall and Terrestriall substances as when God appeared vnto Moses in a flame of fire out of the middest of a bush Exod. 3.2 You see now how God of old at sundry times and in diuers manners did speake to man either by himselfe or by his creatures and by his creatures many wayes sometimes in word sometimes in deed sometimes in both word and deed sometimes in sleepings sometimes in watchings sometimes by Celestiall substances sometime by Terrestriall sometimes by both Celestiall and Terrestriall To make some vse of this doctrine let vs consider whether God doth not now speke vnto vs as of old he did to our forefathers We shal finde that now also he speaketh vnto vs by himselfe whensoeuer by the inspiration of his holy Spirit he moueth our hearts to religious and pure thoughts and also by his creatures sometime by fire when he consumeth our dwelling houses sometime by thunder when he throweth downe our strong holds sometime by heat sometime by drouth sometime by noysome worms Locusts and Caterpillers when he takes from vs the staffe of bread sometime by plagues when in a few months he taketh from vs many thousands of our brethren and sometime by enemies when he impouerisheth vs by warre All these and whatsoeuer other like these are Gods voices and doe call vs to tepentance But as when there came a voice from heauen to Christ Ioh. 12.28 the people that stood by and heard would not be perswaded that it was Gods voice some of them saying that it thundred others that an Angell spake so we howsoeuer God layes his hand vpon vs by fire by thunder by famine by pestilence by war or otherwise we will not be perswaded that God speakes vnto vs we will rather attribute these things to nature to the heauens to starres and planets to the malice of enemies to chance and the like As peruerse as we are there is a voice of God which we cannot but acknowledge to be his and at this time to be directed vnto vs. Mention of it is made Heb. 1.2 In these last dayes God hath spoken to vs by his sonne The Gospell of Christ is the voice of God It is the voice of God the rule of all instruction the first stone to be laid in the whole building that cloud by day that pillar by night whereby all our actions are to be guided This Gospell of Christ and voice of God cals vs now to obedience O the crookednesse of our vile natures Our stiffe necks will not bend God speaketh vnto vs by his Ministers to walke in the old way the good way but we answer like them Ier. 6.16 We will not walke therein He speaketh to vs by his watchmen to take heed to the sound of the trumpet but we answer like them Ier. 6.17 We will not take heed Turne vs good Lord vnto thee and wee shall bee
seruants vnder his foes and their aduersaries This point is notably verified in Lot sore pressed vpon by the Sodomites Gen. 19.9 in the Israelites hardly dealt with by the Aegyptians Exod. 1.11 c. in the 70. brethren sons of Ierubbaal persecuted by Abimelech most of them to the death Iudg. 9.5 in Ieremie twise euill entreated first beaten and put in the stockes by Pashure Ier. 20.2 and a second time beaten and imprisoned by Zedechias his nobles Ier. 37.15 In the three children cast into the fiery furnace by Nabuchodonosor Dan. 3.21 Many more are the examples registred in the booke of God fit to proue this point which also may further appeare vnto you in those bloudy persecutions after Christ his death by the Romane Emperours in those strange torments which they deuised to keepe downe religion and religious professors men women Ler Serm. D. Laurent Prudent hymn in S. Laurent they plucked off their skins quick they bored out their eyes with wimbles they broiled them aliue on gredirons they scalded them in boiling liquors they enclosed them in barrels and driuing great nailes thorow tumbled them down mountaines till their owne bloud so cruelly drawne out stifled and choaked them in the barrels womens breasts were seared off with burning irons their bodies rent their ioints racked Many more were the grieuous torments endured by the faithfull in the time of the ten first persecutions in the primitiue Church All and euery of which doe strongly proue my doctrine God often humbleth his seruants vnder his foes and their aduersaries The reason why God humbleth his seruants vnder his and their enemies is their disobedience to his word This is plaine Deut. 28.36 37. If thou wilt not obey the voice of the Lord thy God to keep and to doe all his commandements and his ordinances the Lord shall bring thee and thy king vnto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers haue knowne and there shalt thou serue other Gods wood and stone and thou shalt be a wonder a prouerb and a common talke among all the people whither the Lord shall carry thee Where you see captiuity and banishment denounced to Gods owne people if they disobey his word You haue now my doctrine and the reason of it My doctrine God often humbleth his seruants vnder his foes and their aduersaries The reason is The disobedience of Gods seruants to the word of God The vses of this doctrine 1. To shew vnto vs how great Gods anger is for sinne that doth punish it so seuerely euen in his dearest children The consideration hereof should worke in vs a loathing hatred and detestation of sin Yet such is the peruersity of our corrupt natures that we daily fleet from sin to sin like the flie that shifteth from sore to sore we tempt the Lord wee murmur wee lust we commit idolatry we haue our eies full of adultery our hearts exercised with couetousnesse our bodies weakned with drunkennesse by all meanes we serue the flesh sitting downe to eat and rising to play Neuer more need than now to smite our breasts and pray with the Publicane Luk. 18.13 O God be mercifull vnto vs sinners 2. To teach vs not to measure the fauour of God towards our selues or others by the blessings or aduersities of this life seeing the wicked doe often flourish whē the godly are in great misery and on the other side the godly doe prosper when the wicked are in distresse In my text we see the Gileadites a portion of Israel threshed with instruments of yron by the hands of a wicked people and Gods enemies the Syrians of Damascus Behold the prosperity of the wicked In Exod. 14. we see the children of Israel passing thorow the red sea as by dry land whereas the Egyptians assaying to doe the like were drowned Behold the prosperity of the Godly Measure not therfore the fauour of God by the blessings or aduersities of this life Whatsoeuer out estate be now or hereafter shall be let vs therewith be contented If God be pleased to blesse vs with peace plenty and prosperity blessed be his holy Name if he shall not like so to blesse vs but shall rather chastise vs with trouble want and aduersity yet still blessed be his holy Name and his will be done 3 To make vs powre out our soules in thankfulnes before Almighty God for our present estate and condit ō We know that our sworne enemies the Popish crew and faction of long time enuied and maliced our happy peace Had they had power according to their will how would they haue vsed vs Would they not haue threshed vs with threshing instruments of yron What mercy or pitty could be expected from them who with so inhumane barbarous and cruell a plot their plot of gunpowder the like whereof was neuer before heard of would haue blowne vp torne peecemeale the King Queen Prince Lords and Commons the fift of Nouember i This Sermon was preached Sept. 21. 1606 last as you well know what shall we render vnto the Lord for this so great a deliuerance Let vs render the calues of our lips applying Dauids song of degrees Psalme 124. to our present purpose 1 If the Lord had not beene on our side may great Britaine now say 2 If the Lord had not beene on our side when the Popish sect rose vp against vs. 3 They had swallowed vs vp quicke when their wrath was kindled against vs. 4 Then had their k Seuen sparks of the inkindled soule by R.B.P. Psal 2. pag 33. fury flien forth as thunder the flame had Burst out beyond the fornace 5 Then had we beene like l Ibid. stubble in their way 6 Praised be the Lord who hath not giuen vs a pray vnto their teeth 7 Our soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers the snare is broken and we are deliuered 8 Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth To this thankfulnes I purpose further to incite you if God giue life and leaue vpon the fift of Nouember next the day appointed by Act of Parliament for your publique thanksgiuing for that most happy deliuerance My text shall bee the Psalme now applyed vnto vs the 124. Meane time let vs beseech Almighty God to giue his blessing to that which hath beene spoken that it may fructifie and bring forth fruit in vs in some thirty in some sixty in some a hundred fold to the glory of Gods holy name and the saluation of our owne soules THE Eight Lecture AMOS 1.4 Therefore will I send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall deuoure the palaces of Benhadad c. THis is the fourth part of this prophecy against the Syrians wherein are set downe the punishments to be inflicted vpon the Syrians for their sinnes as first I noted Generally verse the 4. Specially verse the 5. In the fourth verse wherein the punishments to be
but our men in doing as they doe doe sin against their conscience Vnhappy Parents which destroy your children in Popish and Atheisticall houses What are you inferiour to them that sacrificed their children vnto Deuils If your selues be righteous and Christians cast not away your seed your children the price of the precious bloud of Christ You haue made them in their Baptisme when they were young to confesse Christ will you make them now growne to yeeres to deny Christ O let the words of wise Ecclesiasticus chap. 13.1 bee precious in your memories He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith and doubtlesse your children placed in Atheisticall or Popish houses will themselues become Atheisticall or Popish Suffer I beseech you a word of exhortation in your childrens behalfe Binde them to none but to Christ put them to none but to Christians sell them to nothing but to the Gospell commit not your young ones into the hands and custody of Gods enemies A third vse Is it not lawfull to commit the children of beleeuers into the hands of infidels for the reason aboue specified that they be not withdrawne from the true seruice of God Then neither is it lawfull for you of your selues to keepe away your seruants from the seruice of God It is reputed for a tyranny in Pharaoh Exod. 5.3 4. That he would not suffer the children of Israel to goe three dayes iourny into the desart to sacrifice to the Lord their God and how can you free your selues from the impeachment of tyranny if you deny your seruants to goe but one houres iourney to this place to serue their God Thinke it not enough that your selues come hither to performe some duty to Christ your Lord and Master how can you performe your duty to him if you deny him your seruants You know what charge is giuen you in the fourth commandement not your selues only but also your sonnes and your daughters and your seruants men and maidens and the stranger that soiourneth with you are to hallow and Sanctifie the Sabbath day with the Lords seruice In this holy worke and seruice of God vpon the Sabbath day regard not what the multitude and greater sort of men doe Suppose all the world besides your selues would bee carelesse to performe this duty yet let your holy resolution be the same with Ioshua's chap. 24.15 I and my house will serue the Lord. Thus farre of my first doctrine grounded vpon Gods dislike with the Philistines for selling away the Israelites his faithfull people into the hands of the Edomites an vnbeeleeuing nation To ground a second doctrine hereon we are to note that the Philistines sold away the Israelites to the Idumaeans at such time as they were their captiues and so did adde affliction to the afflicted The doctrine is It is a very grieuous thing to adde affliction to the afflicted Witnesse the complaint made by the captiue Iewes against the insolency of the Chaldeans Psal 137.3 They that led vs away captiue required of vs songs and mirth in our heauinesse saying Sing vs one of the songs of Sion They the Chaldeans the Babylonians and Assyrians in whose country wee were prisoners required of vs scornfully and disdainfully thereby to adde to our griefes they required of vs songs such songs as we were wont to sing in Sion Ierusalem and our owne country before the destruction of the Temple and our captiuity They required of vs not songs only but mirth also they scoffingly desired vs to be merry when they saw vs so heauy hearted as nothing could make vs glad They required of vs songs and mirth in our heauinesse saying Sing vs one of the songs of Sion sing for vs or in our hearing some one or other of those Songs which you were wont to sing in Sion when you were at home in your owne country Intolerable is the hard heartednesse cruelty and scoffing nature of the wicked when they haue gotten Gods children into their nets God cannot away with such vnmercifulnesse and want of pity He reproueth it in the Babylonians Esa 47.6 where thus saith the Lord I was wroth with my people I haue polluted mine inheritance and giuen them into thine hand thou didst shew them no mercy but thou didst lay thy very heauy yoke vpon the ancient therefore now heare destruction shall come vpon thee Magna abominatio eoram Deo est afflicto addere afflictionem clamatque in coelum vox sanguinis The words are the obseruation of Oecolampadius vpon the now cited place of Esay It is a great abomination before God to adde affliction to the afflicted the voice of bloud cryeth vp to Heauen for vengeance Yea we are assured by Psal 102.19 that the Lord looketh downe from the height of his sanctuary and out of heauen beholdeth the earth that he may heare and so take pity of the sighings groanings and lamentable cries of such his people as are in affliction The time will not suffer me now to trouble you with more Texts of Scripture let the now alleaged be sufficient to confirme my propounded doctrine that it is a grieuous thing to adde affliction to the afflicted The vses of this doctrine I can but point at One is to reproue the Nimrods and tyrants of this world which haue no pity no compassion vpon the poore and distressed Such in the end shall know by their owne lamentable experience that to be true which Salomon hath vttered Prou. 21.13 Hee that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore shall cry himselfe and not be heard A second vse is to stirre vs vp to the performance of this our Christian duty euen to take pity vpon all that are in any kind of misery if our neighbours be destitute of aid and help we may not like wilde beasts lift vp our selues against them and so tread them vnder foot No. How dare we molest and trouble them whom by Gods appointment we are to releeue and succour We are commanded Deut. 15.11 to open our hands to the needy and poore that are in our land to open our hands to them for their helpe and succour It is not enough for vs to abstaine from all iniury and harme-doing but withall must we endeuour to releeue the oppressed This seruice of ours will be acceptable vnto God God for it will giue vs his blessing God will blesse vs for the time of our being here and when the day of our dissolution shall be that we must leaue this earthly tabernacle then will the Son of man sitting vpon the throne of his glory welcome vs with a Venite benedicti Come ye blessed of my Father inherit ye the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meat I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me I was naked and ye cloathed me I was sicke and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came vnto me in as much as you haue
corporall death there is a spirituall death and there is an eternall death Which of these deaths were the Moabites to dye The letter of my text is for the corporall death This corporall death is a separation of the soule from the bodie it is called corporall in respect of the spirituall it is also called a temporarie death in respect of the eternall This death corporall or temporarie is twofold either naturall or accidentall if accidentall it is subdiuided into a violent or a voluntarie death and is common as well to the godly as to the wicked inflicted vpon them by Gods iust iudgment for the sinne of Adam This is the wages of sin and this is the way of all sinfull flesh All must once dye We may a long time wrastle with the dangers of this world both by Land and Sea thousands may fall on our right hand and ten thousands on our left while we stande we may haue so good store of friends that we may well say with the Shunamite 2. King 4.13 I neede no speaking for me either to the King or to the Captaine of the Hoste I dwell among mine owne people where I can command we may walke in the light of the sunne that is our prosperitie may be waxen so great that we want nothing we may haue sailes and oares at pleasure as Antiochus seemed to haue who thought in his pride to make men saile vpon the dry land and to walke vpon the Sea 2. Mac. 5.21 we may thinke our selues to be in league with death and in couenant with the graue and so promise to our selues many a prosperous and pleasant day as many as are the sands of the Ocean yet a time shall come when all these things shall proue but vanitie and Moab shall dye All must once dye A great d Dr. King B. of London Lect. 20 vpon Ionas pag. 264. Prelate of this Land for this point hath well fitted this comparison As one that shooteth at a marke sometimes is gone and sometimes is short sometimes lighteth on the right hand sometimes on the left at length hitteth the marke so Death shootes at Noble men beyond vs at meane men short of vs at our friends on the right hand at our enemies on the left at length hitteth our selues The longer her hand is in practise the more certainely she striketh Looke into the fift of Genesis there shall you finde that Death was ayming at e vers 11. Enosh 905. yeares and at last smote him at f vers 14. Kenan 910. yeares at g vers 5. Adam 930. yeares at h vers 20. Iered 962. yeares at i vers 27. Methushelah 969. yeares but in the end ouerthrew them all Now shee strikes sooner within the compasse of fewer yeares within 60. yeares or 70. she seldome stayes 80. yeares And sometimes shee strikes vs in our youthfull dayes yea in the day of our natiuitie All must once dye Moab shall dye All must once dye Death It is of all miseries the last and the most terrible A holy k Apud Lud. Granatensem Exercit de Orat. Medit. Father hath made against it this exclamation O Death how bitter is the remembance of thee How quickly and suddainely stealest thou vpon vs How secret are thy paths and wayes How doubtfull is thy houre How vniuersall is thy signiorie and deminion The mighty cannot escape thee the wise cannot hide themselues from thee the strong loose their strength before thee the rich with their money shall not corrupt thee Thou art the hammer that alwayes striketh Thou art the sword that neuer blunteth thou art the snare wherein all must be taken thou art the prison wherein all must lye thou art the Sea wherein all must perish thou art the paine that all must suffer thou art the tribute that all must pay In a word thou art such a one as Almighty God washeth his hands of thee and cleareth himselfe in plaine words by the mouth of the Wiseman saying Wisd 1.13 that he neuer made thee Surely thou hast thine entry into the world by the very enuie and craft of the Deuill This exclamation against Death is very iust in some sense for Death may be considered in a double respect one way as it is in its owne nature another way as it is changed and qualified by the death of Christ. Death in its owne nature is a punishment of sin a plague a curse or fore-runner of condemnation the very gates and suburbs of Hell it selfe and in this respect the forecited exclamation hath due place But on the other side death being changed and qualified by Christ his death it is no more such it is no more a punishment of sinne it is no more a plague it is no more a curse For it is become a blessing it brings an end to all our miseries it giues full deliuerance to all our miseries it giues full deliuerance from all dangers it is made vnto vs a passage a way an entrance into euerlasting life it is like a portall or litle gate by which we passe from out this litle prison of our bodies into the kingdome of Heauen The graue meane while is but a resting chamber sweetly perfumed by the Death of Christ for our bodies from whence at the sound of the last trumpet our bodies shall awake and rise and be receiued into the paradise of heauen to enioy the most comfortable presence of Almighty God there If death now changed and qualified by Christ his death be a blessing if it be but a passage from this wretched life to that happiest estate in heauen why should death be feared This is a Case of Conscience and may be resolued There are two sorts of men in the world the one of them who liue in their sinnes and dye without repentance the other of them who with vnfeigned repentance and faith in Christ doe leaue this world The first haue great reason to feare Death Death being vnto them the very gate and introduction into the Hell of the damned of whom we may well say as Christ said of Iudas Math. 26.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it had bin good for them had they neuer bin borne The second haue no reason to feare Death Death being vnto them as the gate of Heauen To such Optimum est nasci its best that they are borne and the next best for them is mature mori to dye in a good houre Their birth is to them a preparation to eternall happinesse whereof their Death giues them full possession The consideration whereof made King Salomon the wisest of Kings or men praferre diem mortis diei ortûs it made him preferre the day of death before the day of birth his words are Eccles. 7.3 Better is the day of death then the day that one is borne Hence is it that most righteous Iob chap. 17.14 calls Corruption his father for as chilren haue fathers for their comfort so had Iob death and rottennesse
wrongfully molested and vexed vs and besides we must endeuour by our whole life to shew forth how much we are bound to God for our deliuerance This is the scope this is the end of our redemption and saluation according to old Zacharies prophecie Luk. 1.74 that being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies we might serue God without feare in holinesse and righteousnes before him all the dayes of our life Thus far of the 9. verse THE XV. LECTVRE AMOS 2.10 Also I brought you vp from the land of Egypt and led you fortie yeares through the wildernesse to possesse the land of the Amorite IN this tenth verse are recounted two other benefits which Almighty God was pleased to bestow vpon his people the people of Israel One was Their deliuerance from Aegypt The other Their protection and preseruation in the wildernes Their deliuerance from Egypt is set downe in the first clause Also I brought you vp from the land of Egypt Their protection and preseruation in the wildernesse in the next And led you forty yeares through the wildernesse The end of both followeth in the end of the verse To possesse the land of the Amorite They were deliuered from Egypt and were for forty yeares protected in the wildernesse that at length and in their appointed time they might possesse the land of the Amorites We are to begin with their deliuerance from Egypt It s in the first clause of the verse Also I brought you vp from the land of Egypt This deliuerance of theirs out of Egypt was before the Amorites were destroyed and yet the destruction of the Amorites is specified in the former verse Why is the order of Gods benefits so inverted Why is the benefit that was first collated vpon Israel spoken of in the second place Some thinke it was aduisedly and of purpose done to preoccupate and preuent an obiection which otherwise Israel might haue made In the former verse ver 9. it is said that the Amorites were destroyed root and fruit vtterly destroyed before Israel Now that Israel should not boast of that ouerthrow or ascribe it to the prowesse and valour of their ancestors their deliuerance out of Egypt is nex set downe in this 10. verse to put them in minde of the miserable estate and condition wherein their forefathers liued in Egypt to this sense Thinke yee O yee children of Israel that the Amorites were destroyed by the prowesse and valour of your fore-fathers Thinke it not Remember Egypt Remember how there they groaned vnder the heauy yoke of oppression and were not able to helpe themselues and must of necessitie haue perished had not the Lord with his stretched-forth arme deliuered them Others are of opinion that this deliuerance of Israel out of Egypt is in the second place and after the destruction of the Amorites set downe onely by a custome of the Scripture Of this opinion I finde S. Hierome to be His rule is The Scripture in setting forth the praises of God doth not alwayes obserue the order of the Historie but it often comes to passe Vt quae prima facta sunt extrema dicantur quae novissima referantur ad prima Things first done are last spoken of and things last done are first recited This he will haue vs to learne out of two Psalmes the 78. and 105. in which signorum potentia non ordo describitur the power of Gods wonderfull workes and not their order is described and out of two other Psalmes the 3. and 52. Vbi quae priùs facta sunt narrantur extrema quae extrema referuntur in principio What is first done is last spoken of and what is last done is first mentioned The third Psalme was composed by Dauid when he fled from Absalom his sonne the 52. when Doeg the Edomite came vnto Saul and told him that Dauid was come to the house of Abimelech That of Absalom is registred 2. Sam. 15.14 This of Doeg 1. Sam. 22.9 The relation of Doeg is first chronicled and long after that Dauids flight from Absalom yet Dauids flight frō Absalom is first mentioned in the Book of the Psalmes and long after that the relation of Doeg vnto Saul The order of the Historie is not obserued Nor is it obserued in this our text The order of the Historie is first God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt Exod. 12.51 He made them to passe through the middest of the red Sea as vpon dry land Exod. 14.22 And when they had finished their two and forty iourneyes through diuers wildernesses then gaue he them victorie ouer Sihon King of the Amorites Num. 21.24 The Amorites were last of all destroyed and yet are they here first mentioned Non est obseruatus ordo saith Mercer the order of the Historie is not obserued Ribera also notes it Mathurinus Quadratus here frames a rule like to that of St. Hierome Scriptura in recensendis Dei beneficijs curiose non seruat ordinem The Scripture in rehearsing Gods benefits doth not curiously keepe the order but oftentimes it falls out by a figure which the Greekes doe call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that what was first done is last of all rehearsed and what was last done is first of all recited From hence we may deduce this conclusion Though it be our dutie carefully to remember the manifold blessings and benefits which God in mercy from time to time hath bestowed vpon vs yet is it not necessarie that we euer curiously obserue their order and the time when they were bestowed You see the custome of Scripture is our warrant to speake of that first which was last done for vs and of that last which we first receiued But first or last we must remember all Hereto belongeth holy Dauids admonition Psal 103.2 which he there proposeth vnder the forme of an exhortation He exhorteth himselfe to blesse the Lord Blesse the Lord ô my soule and forget not all his benefits Forget not all his benefits Nay Forget not any of his benefits So much the Hebrew phrase intendeth Blesse the Lord ô my soule and forget not any of his benefits A necessarie admonition We forget nothing sooner then a benefit whether we receiue it from God or man But iniuriarum tenacissima est memoria our memorie for iniuries is very tenacious it s a hold-fast Let an iniurie be done vs we will not forget it Yea let one of vs bestow vpon another any benefit be it neuer so litle the knowledg whereof should not be imparted from the right hand to the left as our Sauiour Christ speaketh in his Sermon vpon the Mount Matth. 6.3 how long how long will we reteine the memorie of it Our nature its corrupt Our disposition its peruerse Who seeth not what neede there is that we exercise our selues in reteyning the memorie of Gods benefits Wherefore let euery one of vs stirre vp himselfe to so holy an exercise as Dauid did himselfe Let vs daily sing vnto our soules Blesse
Exod. 12.38 This mixed multitude what it was it is not certaine It is probable that it consisted of Egyptians and other Nations soiourning in Egypt who being moued and prepared with those mightie wonders and myracles which they saw in Egypt might thereupon resolue to ioyne themselues to Israel to the people of God Whatsoeuer they were this mingling of diuers other Nations with the people of God was a liuely type and euident demonstration of the calling of the Gentiles Six hundred thousand men on foote besides children and a mixed multitude a multitude of sundry sorts of people went out from Egypt with Israel and flockes and heards euen very much cattell But which way went they They went through the wildernesse It is the second circumstance I am now to poynt at I led you through the wildernesse Through the wildernesse A sandie and an vntracked wildernesse There they might erre there they might starue for want of food and other prouision But against all such accidents and casualties they were secured God himselfe a Exod. 13.21 went before them How could they but cheerefully follow when they saw God led them God led them by b Num. 14 14. Deut. 1.33 Psal 78.14 pillars by a pillar c 1. Cor. 10.1 of cloud and by a pillar of fire Pillars they were for firmenesse they were of Cloud and fire of visibilitie and vse The greater light obscureth the lesse therefore in the day time he led them not by fire but by a Cloud In the night nothing is seene without light therefore in the night time he led them not by a cloud but by fire The cloud defended them from heate by day the fire digested the rawnes of the night God put himselfe into those formes of gracious respects which might best fit their then necessities But where did God shew himselfe so graciously present vnto his people Israel in the cloud and fire or in what wildernesse was it It was in the wildernesse of Etham which was a great and a sandie desart lying from the land of Goshen in Egypt to the Red Sea and beyond it This is plaine by Exod. 13.20 where we read that the Children of Israel tooke their iourney from Succoth and encamped in d Num 23.6 Etham in the edge of the wildernesse And the Lord went afore them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them the way and by night in a pillar of fire to giue them light to goe by day and night He tooke not away the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people From e Vers 7. Etham they remoued and encamped before Piha-hireth betweene Migdol and the Red Sea ouer against Baal-zephon so we read Exod. 14.2 From hence from Pi-hahiroth they remoued againe and passed through the middest of the f Exod. 14.22 Red Sea Through the Red Sea and not drowned It was euen so The Lord caused the Sea to goe backe by a g Vers 21. strong East wind a whole night and made the Sea drie land And the Children of Israell went into the middest of the Sea vpon drie ground and the waters were a wall vnto them on their right hand and on their left Were the waters a wall vnto them O the neuer too-much admired protection of the Almightie That the Sea the Red Sea which they feared would be their ruine became their preseruation I now see God can easily make the cruellest of his creatures to become our friends and patrons The Israelites were safely passed through the Red Sea they passed by h Hâ—b 11.29 faith The Egyptians pursued after them i Exod. 14.23 to the middest of the Sea and were drowned for they had not faith It was Gods pleasure to get him honor vpon them k Vers 17. vpon Pharaoh vpon all his host vpon his charrets and vpon his horsemen The Sea was readie to worke his will shee shut her mouth vpon the Egyptians shee swallowed them vp in her waues and after shee had made sport with them a while shee cast them vp vpon her sands for a spectacle of triumph to their aduersaries Let our contemplations be lifted vp to those walls of waters which gaue Israel safe passage and ouerwhelmed the Egyptians we shall see the condition of the children of God and his enemies in this world In this world the children of God are beset with walls of waters too on the right hand with the waters of prosperitie on the left hand with the waters of aduersitie and yet through a true faith they walke through both they are hurt by neither they ariue on the other side at their wished-for harbour in safetie whereas the enemies of God the sonnes of vnbeleife and impietie are confounded in middest of the waters The waters of prosperitie make them forget God the waters of aduersitie make them curse God Both the waters of prosperitie and the waters of aduersitie doe ouerwhelme them with confusion We are not yet out of the wildernesse of Etham For from the Red Sea Israel went three dayes iourney in the wildernesse of Etham and pitched in Marah The storie is so Num. 33.8 In the 15. of Exodus vers 22. it seemeth to be called the wildernesse of Shur For there you may thus read Moses brought Israell from the Red Sea and they went out into the wildernesse of Shur and they went three dayes iourney in the wildernesse From hence many thinke this wildernesse of Shur to be the same with the wildernesse of Etham Some will haue Etham to be the generall name of the whole wildernesse and Shur onely a part of it Others will haue Shur to be the generall name of the whole wildernesse and Etham onely a part of it But neither can be so The wildernesse of Shur and the wildernesse of Etham are not the same they are altogether diuerse The wildernesse of Etham was a part of Egypt as hath alreadie beene shewed the wildernes of Shur was not a part of Egypt therefore the wildernes of Etham and the wildernesse of Shur were not the same That the wildernesse Shur was no part of Egypt I gather from the first of Samuel Chap. 15. vers 7. where I read that Shur is ouer against Egypt It s ouer against Egypt therefore it is no part of Egypt The like collection I make from the 25. of Genesis ver 18. there I find that Shur is before Egypt as a man goeth to Assyria It s before Egypt therefore not in Egypt nor any part of Egypt therefore Shur is not Etham Why then doth Moses in the places now alledged seeme to make Shur and Etham all one I answere if wee rightly vnderstand Moses Moses doth not make them all one The words of Moses I thus explicate Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea that they might goe forward into the wildernes of Shur but before they came thither they spent three daies iourney in the wildernesse of Etham We haue
bow HE that handleth the bow is in the language of the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bowman the archer the shooter He shall not stand Hee shall not dare to abide his ground or if he abide it he shall not be able to bend his bow so through feare shall the f Dan. 5.6 ioynts of his loynes be loosed and his knees shall smite the one against the other This anguish or perplexitie shall betide him according to Ionathan in his Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bicrabha in time of skirmish and fight euen then when his bow should stand him most in steed By this bow I vnderstand not the bow alone and arrowes but euery other weapon and instrument of warre From hence ariseth this doctrine It s not the bow and arrowes or sword or any other instrument of warre that can any whit avayle vs when God will punish For proofe hereof I produce the iudgement of God vpon Gog the cheife Prince of Meshech and Tubal Ezech. 39.3 where thus saith the Lord Behold I am against thee O Gog and I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand and will cause thine arrowes to fall out of thy right hand Bow and arrowes There is no helpe in them None at all nor in the sword nor in any other militarie engine Therefore doth the Psalmist Psal 44 6. renounce all trust in them His words are I doe not trust in my bow neither can my sword saue me His bow and sword he doth not much care for Wherein then is his trust It is in the might and strength of God Gods power was his buckler whereto he trusted for his owne defence and for the discomfiture of his enemies It is the Vse we are to make of the doctrine now propounded We must not repose our trust in any externall helpe the bow the sword or the like for this were indeed to rob God of his glory and to runne to the creature for helpe Our helpe is but one and that is the Lord of Hosts Dominus Deus auxiliator meus Esay proclaimeth it twise in one chapter chap. 50. First vers 7. The Lord God is my helper secondly vers 9. Behold the Lord God is my helper The Lord God is my helper behold he is my helper Surely Esay looked for no helpe but from the Lord his God Nor did Ieremie looke for any but from the same eternall fountaine of helpe and therefore chap. 20.11 he saith Dominus mecum est quasi bellator fortis the Lord is with me as a stout or mighty warriour Nor did Dauid looke for any but from the same He Psal 18.2 acknowledgeth the Lord and him onely to be his strength his succour his fortresse his deliuerer his God his rocke wherein he trusteth his buckler the horne of his saluation and his high tower The like he doth Psal 144.1 2. Where what is his strength but the Lord What his goodnesse his fortresse his high tower his deliuerer his shield but the Lord The Lord alone is he in whom Dauid trusteth The bow the sword the speare and euery other militarie weapon he knew to be meere vanitie without help◠from the Lord and therefore the Lord was to him in steed of all And let the Lord be to vs in steed of all in steed of bow of sword of speare of buckler of shield of fortresse of tower and of euery other militarie engine and vnder g Psal 36.7 the shadow and h Psal 61.4 couert of his wings we i Psa 119.117 shall be safe Must the Lord be vnto vs in steed of all In steed of bow of sword of speare and the rest Ergóne omnis armorum vsus abijciendus VVhat Shall we therefore condemne cast away or neglect the bow the sword the speare all kind of artillerie furniture or munition that men doe vse either for the priuate defence of themselues or for the publicke of the Country No in no wise This were too too Anabaptisticall And I am no Anabaptist that I should maintaine it to be vnlawfull for a Christian either to make weapons for the vse of man or to vse them being made They denie it to be lawfull to vse the sword I affirme it to be lawfull My assertion is All men into whose hands God putteth the sword may vse the sword euen to strike and kill if neede be Now God putteth the sword first and principally into the hand of the publicke Magistrate who when iust occasion serues may draw it out And sometime he putteth it into the hand of a priuate man A priuate man when he is assailed of his enemie may take the sword in way of his owne defence and may if there be no other helpe kill his enemie therewith so he doe it not vpon any malice but onely because he cannot otherwise escape and saue his owne life Now to the question My answer is Non reijcitur vsus sed fiducia The bow the sword the speare and other instruments of warre are not to be condemned not to be cast away not to be neglected but to be vsed Non reijcitur vsus sed fiducia their vse is not forbidden but our trust in them The vse of all kinde of weapons is common as well to the wicked as to the godly the difference is in the trust The wicked they vse them and trust in them the godly they vse them too but their trust mounts higher euen to the Lord of Hosts The distinction then here to be obserued is Vt vsus creaturis fiducia verò creatori deputetur Vse the bow the sword the speare and euery other martiall weapon when then shalt haue iust occasion but see that thy trust be euer in the Lord. S. Chrysostome vpon those words of the 44. Psalme I trust not in my bow neither shall my sword saue me saith Why then dost thou vse them Why art thou armed VVhy handlest thou the bow VVhy the sword The answer there is returned Because our God hath so commanded therefore I vse them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet I cast my whole care on him in him I doe wholy trust Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus fortified fensed with power from aboue we are to fight against our visible enemies and thus fortified and fensed with power from aboue we are to fight against our Spirituall enemies The chiefe of them is the Deuill Our fight against him is a daily fight For our direction in this fight we haue S. Chrysostomes direction VVhen thou art to combat with the Deuill say I trust not in my weapons I trust not in mine owne strength or mine owne righteousnesse but in the mercy of God say with Daniel chap. 9.18 O my God encline thine eare and heare open thine eyes and behold our desolation we present our supplications before thee not for our owne righteousnesse but for thy great mercies Saue vs O Lord saue thy people from the power and furie of this immortall enemie Though as a roaring
and command vs to remoue Iosephus a noble Captaine in the warre of the Iewes after the losse of the Citie Iotapata which Vespasian the Roman Generall tooke being assembled with diuers of his souldiers in a caue where for a while they lay hid from the fury of the Enemie when they would take no way but that they would kill one the other rather than they would be taken by their enemies the Romans vseth vnto them a very patheticall speech as Egesippus lib. 3. de excidio-Hierosolymitano hath recorded it Thesaurum nobis optimum Deus dedit The Almightie God hath giuen vnto vs our life as a most precious treasury he hath shut it and sealed it vp in this earthen vessell and giuen it vs to be kept till himselfe doe aske for it againe And were it not a fault now as on the one side to deny it when he shall require it againe so on the other side to spell and cast this treasure forth which was thus committed to vs before he doe demand it If we should kill our selues Quis nos admittet ad illa sanctarum animarum consortia Who is he that shall admit vs into the company of good soules Shall it not be said to vs as once it was said to Adam where art thou so where are yee Where are yee who contrary to my commandement are come from whence yet you should not because yet I haue not loosed you from the bonds of your bodies Where are yee Where The same Iosephus in the same speech of his as himselfe hath deliuered it lib. 3. de bello Iudaico cap. 14. will tell you where it is most likely they are Quorum manus in seipsos insanierunt eorum animas tenebrosior Orcus suscipit the soules of them who haue killed themselues are descended into Hell And so much Saint Hierom seemes to affirme in an Epistle of his to Paula concerning the death of her daughter Blaesilla where he makes God thus to speake Nullam animam recipio quae me nolente separatur à corpore I will receiue no soule which against my will goeth out of the body to which I haue committed it Beloued without Gods exceeding mercy whereof no man can presume nay great and mighty preiudice is to the contrarie it will be very ill with them who doe aduenture to slay themselues Let then those of the Heathen whom euen now I mētioned Cato Vticensis Antony Cleopatra and Thraseas let Abimelech and Saul let others be famous for killing themselues let it be said of them that it was not bloud but honour that gushed out of their sides yet are they not warrants for vs Christians to doe the like We haue a better Master Christ Iesus the Righteous He hath taught vs a better lesson namely that aduersity and bitter affliction must be borne with patience that in our miseries and calamities we are to expect what end God will make and not to hasten the issue in our selues Maior animus meritò dicendus est qui vitam aerumnosam magis potest ferre quà m fugere August de Ciuit. Dei lib. 1. cap. 22. He is worthily said to haue true fortitude that can with patience beare the sorrows which are assigned and allotted out for his portion whereas he that fearefully flyeth from them is no better than a coward Quis enim ignorat foemineae timiditatis esse Cequaeus Comment in August de ciu Dei lib. 1. cap. 24. muliebris formidinis ne moriare mori velle Iosephus in that his Oration now cited out of * De Excid Hieros l. 3. c. 18. Hegesippus Who knowes it not to be effeminate timorousnesse and woman-like faint-heartednesse to be willing to die that thou die not to kill thy selfe that another kill thee not So is it beloued This same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this same selfe-killing at the best is no better than the badge of an abiect and a base minde None of the Saints in their greatest miseries nor Ioseph nor Iob nor Dauid nor Daniel nor other thought of any such way to rid themselues out of trouble No. Though they felt the sharpnesse of pouerty the sting of infamie the paines of diseases and the horrour of death yet their courage quailed not but they spurned aside all manner of despaire And for the sweetnesse they found in the fauour and grace of God they were well content not only to be depriued of all worldly delights and earthly pleasures but also to embrace the rod of their heauenly Father and patiently to endure the weight of the crosse laid on them These beloued these are fit patternes for our imitation Wherefore let vs not be dismaid with any crosse or affliction Let not the extremity of the paine nor the sharpnesse of the misery nor the continuance of the sicknesse daunt our courage no though these calamities befall vs in the sight of our enemies Nay though we be giuen vp into the hands of our enemies who will triumph and reioyce at our downefall yet will we not offer violent hands vnto our selues wee will not cut asunder that which God hath ioyned we will not seeke for ease by shortning of our liues Whatsoeuer ill shall betide me I will say with Ieremie Chap. 10.19 Truly this is my griefe and I will beare it And my griefe will be the more if in time of misery mine enemie insult and triumph ouer me This is a case that hath much troubled Gods holy ones as in part you haue already heard It much troubled holy Dauid And therefore he prayeth against it Psal 13.4 Consider and heare me O Lord my God and why Lest mine enemie say I haue preuailed against him and those that trouble me reioyce when I am moued The like eiaculation he hath Psal 38.16 and his reason there is the same Lest mine enemies should reioyce ouer me who when my foot slippeth doe magnifie themselues against me The same Dauid vpon the newes of the death of King Saul and Ionathan his sonne willing to preuent the opprobrious and disgracefull insultations and vpbraidings of the enemie giues a charge for secrecie as much as might be 2 Sam. 1.20 Tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askelon lest the daughters of the Philistines reioyce lest the daughters of the vncircumcised triumph The little flocke of the righteous the holy Church her selfe is sensible of the insolencie of an enemie Micah 7.8 O thou enemie of mine reioyce not at my fall for I shall get vp againe Vpon these particulars and the like dependeth the truth of the obseruation propounded The calamities or miseries which the Lord in iustice layeth vpon vs for our euill deeds will be the more grieuous vnto vs if our enemies be made priuie vnto them Will they be the more grieuous vnto vs if our enemies be made priuy vnto them What is the reason The reason is because it is a propertie of wicked men enemies to piety wonderfully to
offered vnto others Our Sauiour Christ in his Sermon vpon the Mount thus deliuers it With what measure yee mete Luke 6.38 it shall be measured to you againe Matth. 7.2 Whereupon one saith after this manner He that rashly and vniustly censureth others feeleth at one time or other the smart of it in the like kinde For God doth iustly raise vp others to censure him that thereby he may be recompensed According to this law of equitie it is said Reu. 3.10 He that leadeth into captiuity shall be led into captiuity And Esay 33.1 They that deale treacherously with others shall haue others to deale treacherously with them and they that spoile others shall themselues be spoiled This last is the very measure that is in this my text threatned to the ten Tribes They spoiled the poore treasuring vp in their palaces the goods taken from them by violence and robbery and therefore shall their palaces be spoiled Thus farre is the confirmation of my doctrine which was Punishments are most vsually in the like proper and proportionable to the offences Are punishments proportionable to the offences One reason hereof may be because the iustice of God is hereby cleared and the mouth of iniquitie stopped When God retaileth vs according to the sinne that we haue committed what can we alleage or answer for our selues Surely we cannot haue any excuse pretence or allegation for our selues but must confesse with our owne mouth and against our selues that God is righteous and that our selues are wicked A second reason may be taken from the equity of this kinde of proceeding It is meet that malefactors haue their deserts nor can they complaine of iniustice so long as they receiue their owne God will giue to euery man according to his workes he will giue them wages according to their deseruings Vpon this equity is grounded the Law of retaliation by which God requireth of the hands of Magistrates that they recompence life for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot burning for burning wound for wound stripe for stripe Exod. 21.23 The Law is repeated Leuit. 24.19 20. If a man cause a blemish in his neighbour as hee hath done so shall it be done vnto him Breach for breach eye for eye tooth for tooth as he hath caused a blemish in a man so shall it be done to him againe Now if God hath made a law for Magistrates to recompence the sinner according to the manner of his sinne we may not doubt but that God himselfe will measure his punishments according to the rule of iustice and equitie Vpon the ground of these reasons my doctrine standeth Punishments are most vsually in the like proper and proportionable to the offences Now one vse of this doctrine is to teach vs to set a watch ouer our selues to keepe out the practise of sinne that carrieth such a taile and traine after it The sinner shall euer finde a punishment answerable to his sinne This is a notable bridle to induce vs to abstaine from all kinde of sinne to abstaine from whoredome and drunkennesse the sinnes that rage among carnall men Because Magistrates are slacke and carelesse in punishing of these sinnes God bringeth vpon such as continue in them very loathsome and noysome diseases meet punishments for such filthy sinnes And if we be wise to commit new sinnes God only wise will catch vs in our wisdom he will be wise enough to finde out punishments that shall be proportioned to our transgressions Pro mensurâ peccati erit plagarum modus Deut. 25.3 Vulg. as our sinne is so shall be our punishment Againe from hence we learne to be patient vnder the punishments that doe befall vs. Sith God doth punish vs in that wherein we haue offended when we feele that God hath found vs out and that neither our selues nor our sins can any longer be hidden from his eyes let vs humble our selues vnder his mighty hand and hold our peace because he hath done it Psal 39.9 Thirdly this may serue to checke all cruell and mercilesse oppressours such as grinde the faces of the poore Esâ—y 3.15 and spoile the needie by their couetous and corrupt dealing pulling from them that which is their owne without conscience of sinne or feeling of iudgement to come God suffereth such to haue their time while he holdeth his peace and letteth them alone to fill vp the measure of their sinnes Yet hath God his seasons too and hath determined what to doe and how to deale with such offenders the spoiler shall be spoiled the robber shall be robbed the oppressour shall be oppressed and they that deale violently with others shall haue others to deale violently with them Wherefore whatsoeuer you would that men should doe vnto you euen so doe vnto them for this is the Law of equitie THE Fourteenth Lecture AMOS 3.12 Thus saith the Lord As the shepheard taketh out of the mouth of the Lion two legs or a peece of an eare so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed and in Damascus in a couch THis verse belongeth to the Commination that went before The Commination was a denunciation or a menacing of the iudgement of God against the Kingdome of the ten Tribes the people of Israel The iudgement was a conquest by warre and that was described by three circumstances the siege the victory and the spoile all which were handled in my lâ—st Sermon Now is the conquest amplified from the sad and fearefull euent thereof which our Prophet here deliuereth by a Similitude taken from the experience of a Shepheard Such shall be the conquest of the Assyrians against the Israelites that the Israelites shall be no more able to resist the Assyrians than a silly Sheepe is able to resist a Lion The Israelites trusted in the multitude of their people in the valour of their souldiers in their fenced Cities among which the chiefe were Samaria and Damascus for they had enlarged their territories euen vnto Damascus Therefore it seemed to them impossible that any forreine power should preuaile against them To beat downe this vaine confidence of theirs Amos here bringeth this rurall and pastorall Similitude assuring them that those things whereupon they rely for safety shall be so farre from doing them any good that few very few of them shall escape the hand of the enemie For our more easie proceeding at this time let it please you to obserue with me two things 1 An introduction to a similitude Thus saith the Lord. 2 The similitude it selfe As the Shepheard taketh out c. The Introduction giues credit and authority to the Similitude The Similitude hath two parts the two vsuall parts of a Simile 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Proposition 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Reddition The Proposition A Shepheard taketh out of the mouth of a Lion two legs or a peece of an eare The Reddition So shall
the valour of their souldiers their fenced Cities the strength of Samaria and the succour of Damascus Thus haue you the reasons of my Doctrine why there is not any confidence to be put in creatures either in the strength of man or the munition of 〈◊〉 â—s The vse is to admonish vs that we depend not vpon the vaine and transitory things of this life but vpon God alone who onely is vnchangeable and vnmoueable that we resigne our selues wholly into his hands and confesse before him in the words of the Psalme 91.9 Tu es Domine spes mea Thou art O Lord my hope Serm. 9. in Psal Qui habitat Sweet is the meditation of Saint Bernard vpon the place Let others pretend merit let them bragge that they haue borne the burden and heat of the day let them tell of their fasting twice a weeke let them glory that they are not as other men Mihi autem adhaerere Deo Psal 73.28 bonum est ponere in Domino Deo spem meam but its good for me to cleaue fast vnto God to put my hope in the Lord God Sperent in aliâ—s alii Let others trust in other things one in his learning another in his nobility a third in his worth a fourth in any other vanity Mihi autem adhaerere Deo bonum est but its good for me to cleaue fast vnto God to put my trust in the Lord God Dearely beloued if we shall sacrifice to our owne nets Habak 1.15 16. burne incense to our owne yarne put our trust in outward meanes either riches or policie or Princes or men or mountaines forsaking God God will blow vpon these meanes and turne them to our ouerthrow Wherefore though we haue all helpes in our owne hands to defend our selues and offend our enemies as that we are fenced by Sea fortified by ships blessed by Princes backed with friends stored with munitions aided with confederates and armed with multitudes of men yet may we not put our trust herein for nobis etiam adhaerere Deo bonum est it s also good for vs to cleaue fast vnto God to put our trust in the Lord God who alone giues the blessing to make all good meanes effectuall There is not much remaining The small number of the Israelites that were to be deliuered from the fury of the Assyrian resembled by the two legs or the tip of the eare taken by the shepheard out of the Lions mouth yeelds vs this obseruation that In publike calamities God euermore reserueth a remnant to himselfe When God punished the old world the world of the vngodly 1 Pet. 2.5 bringing the floud vpon them he saued Noah the eighth person the preacher of righteousnesse When God condemned the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrah with an ouerthrow turning them into ashes making them an ensample vnto those that after should liue wickedly he deliuered iust Lot from among them There is a remnant left Esay 1.9 Except the Lord of hosts had left vnto vs a very small remnant we should haue beene as Sodome and we should haue beene like vnto Gomorrah You see a remnant reserued though it be very small Yea sometimes there is a reseruation of so small a remnant as is hardly visible as in the daies of Eliah who knew of none but himselfe I only am left saith he 1 King 19.14 Yet God tells him vers 18. of seuen thousand in Israel which neuer bowed their knees to Baal I finde Ioel 2.32 deliuerance in mount Sion deliuerance in Ierusalem and deliuerance in the remnant when the Lord shall call There is then a remnant to be called euen in greatest extremity Wherefore you the Elect and chosen children of God the Father be ye full of comfort take vnto you beauty for ashes Esay 61.3 the oyle of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse reioyce ye be glad together and be ye comforted Let the Prince of darknesse and all the powers of Hell assisted with the innumerable company of his wicked vassals vpon the Earth ioyne together to worke your ouerthrow they shall not be able to effect it For God euen your God will reserue vnto himselfe a remnant And what is this remnant but pusillus grex It s a little flock the chaste Spouse of Christ the holy Catholike Church Extra cam nulla est salus Out of it there is no Saluation for hee that hath not the Church for his Mother shall neuer haue God for his Father So much for the explanation of this twelfth verse And Gods blessing be vpon it THE Fifteenth Lecture AMOS 3.13 14 15. Heare yee and testifie in the house of Iacob saith the Lord God the God of hosts That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him I will also visit the Altars of Bethel and the hornes of the Altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground And I will smite the winter house with the summer house and the houses of Iuory shall perish and the great houses shall haue an end saith the Lord. THe words of the Lord are iust by whom soeuer they are vttered and the authority of the holy Spirit is wonderfull by whom soeuer he speaketh Non minùs de ore pastoris quam de ore Imperatoris pertonat he thundereth or he speaketh with as much Maiestie from the mouth of a shepherd as from the mouth of an Emperour Amos our Prophet is this shepherd from whom the holy Spirit here thundereth Before he came with a proclamation to the palaces of Ashdod and to the palaces of the Land of Aegypt Now he comes with a Contestation to the house of Iacob Hereafter you may heare his message to the King of Bashan that are in the mountaines of Samaria Chap. 4.1 If Amos had from a shepherd beene aduanced to the Maiestie of a King as Dauid was what could we wish should haue beene added to the greater maiestie of his elocution The contestation is the thing whereupon I shall at this time principally insist The words are a Prosopopaeia the Almighty is brought in calling vpon his Priests and Prophets to giue eare vnto him and to beare witnesse of the calamities which he was purposed to lay vpon the house of Iacob that when he should punish them for their euill deeds he would visit their Temple and proudest buildings with desolation The parts are two One is a mandate for a Contestation or Testification The other is the matter to be testified That vers 13. This vers 14 15. For the first these particulars may be obserued 1. Who it is that giues the mandate It is he that best may doe it Euen the Lord. The Lord God the God of Hosts 2. To whom he giues it Sacerdotibus Prophetis to his Priests and Prophets for to them is this by an Apostrophe directed 3. How he giues it thus Audite contestamini Heare and testifie 4. The place where this testification is to be